Belgian businessman Marc Coucke continues, year after year, to confirm his interest in South Africa. The Flemish billionaire has just added the Kololo Game Lodge to his portfolio, a 1,500-hectare estate nestled at the heart of the UNESCO-listed Waterberg reserve, in the country’s north-east.
Eight luxury accommodations for around thirty guests
The acquisition, carried out through the OKU hotel group, was announced in early September 2026 and targets the luxury tourism segment. The project envisages eight high-end accommodations for around thirty guests, with a gourmet restaurant, private spa, swimming pool and dedicated staff area. The value of the transaction has not been disclosed; Marc Coucke told Het Nieuwsblad that the opening was hoped for winter 2027, provided the schedule holds without a hitch.
A summer sequence of investments
This acquisition comes in the immediate wake of another capital move by Marc Coucke, unrelated to hospitality directly but telling of his investment pace: on 21 August 2026, his company Alychlo took a majority stake in Amadeus, a Belgian restaurant chain specialising in pork ribs, founded in 1987 in Ghent. The brand now has five outlets, spread across Ghent, Brussels, Antwerp and Kruisem, and serves close to 400,000 customers a year according to Alychlo. Current owners Marie Thevelin and Peter Dobbelaere remain involved in running the business.
Cape Town’s Ritz, an earlier acquisition back in the spotlight
Marc Coucke’s South African portfolio is not limited to Kololo. OKU Hotels had already announced its development in the country back in August 2025, according to South African outlet Cape Town Etc, through the acquisition of the historic Ritz Hotel in Sea Point, Cape Town. The 21-storey building, opened in 1972 and long known for its revolving panoramic restaurant, had been closed since 2015 following a period of deterioration marked by illegal occupation. The value of this transaction remains uncertain, with South African press citing more than 240 million rand (around €12 million), while Belgian media have put the figure closer to €20 million. Marc Coucke stated that renovation plans and cost estimates were finalised, though without setting a reopening date.
A combined safari-and-city offering
Marc Coucke’s stated aim is to offer travellers visiting South Africa a combined experience: a safari at Kololo and a city stay in Cape Town at the Ritz. This approach extends the development the group has pursued since its entry into luxury hospitality in the Mediterranean, in Ibiza, Kos, Bodrum and Andalusia.
A foothold built piece by piece in South Africa
Analysis – In the space of a few weeks, Marc Coucke has made a string of capital moves across distinct but hospitality-adjacent sectors, from restaurants to city hotels to safari tourism. This pace reflects an active wealth-diversification strategy, in a country that continues to draw growing numbers of international investors betting on a global clientele willing to pay a premium for exclusivity and authenticity.
A promising segment for investors
South Africa’s luxury travel market generated revenue of around €19.9 billion in 2025 and is projected to reach nearly €43.7 billion by 2033, with a compound annual growth rate of 10.6% over 2026-2033. Safari and adventure travel were the top revenue-generating circuit in 2025, while culinary tourism and shopping are expected to see the fastest growth over the forecast period.
At a glance by The Hospitality Tribune
Marc Coucke adds Kololo safari lodge weeks after Amadeus restaurant deal
OKU Hotels acquires Kololo Game Lodge, a 1,500-hectare UNESCO-listed reserve in South Africa’s Waterberg
Deal follows Alychlo’s majority stake in Belgian restaurant chain Amadeus (21 August 2026) and the 2025 Ritz Cape Town acquisition
Kololo project includes eight luxury units for around 30 guests; opening targeted for winter 2027
Ritz Cape Town deal value disputed across sources (~€12m to ~€20m); no confirmed reopening date
South Africa’s luxury travel market projected to grow at a 10.6% CAGR through 2033
